


When The Party's Over

by egelskaseriunaHxH



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Making Out, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Songfic, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Timeline What Timeline, Timeskips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28820562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egelskaseriunaHxH/pseuds/egelskaseriunaHxH
Summary: “Can we talk?” Leorio whispered, voice poignant in its hollow tones. Kurapika allowed himself to press a hand to Leorio’s chest momentarily, before withdrawing, breath hitching as the wall of pain returned in full force. He ignored the elder’s own wince of pain as he took a step back, turning once more and murmuring with a glance over his shoulder, “Nothing has changed, Leorio. I’m sorry.”Leorio reached out, calling after him, “Kurapika! Kurapika, wait!” It was too late, though; the Kurta had already vanished into the night, leaving only behind the scorching pain of his absence.-----Song-fic inspired by “when the party’s over” by Billie Eilish, where soulmates Kurapika and Leorio dance around each other amidst the pain of their unacknowledged soul-bond.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Comments: 10
Kudos: 41





	When The Party's Over

**Author's Note:**

> Title is taken from the lyrics of “when the party’s over” by Billie Eilish (https://youtu.be/pbMwTqkKSps - I would recommend listening to it while reading tbh) which somehow suddenly reminded me (yesterday) of a potential conversation (or even duet) between Leorio and Kurapika, despite me listening to this song for about two years. 
> 
> This is my first song-fic and I usually don’t read many others, so hopefully, this is okay and not confusing.
> 
> Please bear in mind when errors inevitably show up that I am dyslexic and autistic :)
> 
> ||
> 
> Find me on Instagram and Tumblr: @egelskaseriunahxh
> 
> \- M. A.
> 
> ||
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters, place names and song lyrics utilised in this story are the property of their respective owners, Yoshihiro Togashi and Billie Eilish. No copyright infringement is intended.

_Don't you know I'm no good for you?  
I've learned to lose you, can't afford to_

Kurapika stared across at Leorio, the room of partygoers between them a vast ocean separating two once-unified, now-distant islands each fighting for autonomy from the other.

He nursed his vodka, resisting the urge to throw the entire cocktail back as if it were a tequila shot. He could use the burn; he could use any feeling that wasn’t the searing, desperate pain that clawed at him from within, making it hard to stand and even harder to breathe. But, such was the life of those with a rejected soul bond.

Turning away from his ~~soulmate~~ former acquaintance, he willed the elder man to stand his ground and not approach; wishing for a moment that he had some sort of telepathic bond with Leorio to convince him that any interaction would be disastrous. With a soft sigh, Kurapika slowly shifted away from the centre of the room, avoiding the other mingling Hunters and politely brushing off any stray attempts at conversation directed his way.

“Hey-”

Kurapika’s breath hitched at the sound of Leorio’s voice, eyes falling shut as the older Hunter’s hand came to rest on his elbow, pausing the normally-incessant pain, at least for a moment. Steeling himself for the sight that would greet him upon facing the man who shared the same mark on his hand – the Caduceus with a chain wound around it instead of two serpents – the Kurta turned on his heel, willing his irises to not betray his emotions for once.

His eyes widened as he drank in the sight of the man before him; he could not deny the increase of his heart rate nor could he deny the lurch that his stomach gave, fluttering with both nerves and butterflies just from locking eyes with the man that he loved.

“Can we talk?” Leorio whispered, voice poignant in its hollow tones. Kurapika allowed himself to press a hand to Leorio’s chest momentarily, before withdrawing, breath hitching as the wall of pain returned in full force. He ignored the elder’s own wince of pain as he took a step back, turning once more and murmuring with a glance over his shoulder, “Nothing has changed, Leorio. I’m sorry.”

Leorio reached out, calling after him, “Kurapika! Kurapika, wait!” It was too late, though; the Kurta had already vanished into the night, leaving only behind the scorching pain of his absence.

_°°°°°°°°°°°_

_Tore my shirt to stop you bleedin'  
But nothin' ever stops you leavin'_

Leorio stared down at the freshly-bandaged individual that lay before him in the hospital cot, sitting heavily in one of the adjacent chairs as the weight of their incomplete bond hung stiffly between them. He took the smaller hand into his own, running his thumb gently against the physical manifestation of their pre-destined compatibility; the soul-mark that left a natural tattoo on the dorsal aspect of his right hand, just below his thumb, only serving as a reminder of everything that he did _not_ have.

He pressed a soft kiss to silky blond strands as he drew himself to his full height, taking one last look at his soulmate. He knew that by the time he returned from visiting the other wards on his daily rotation, the bed would be long-empty and cold.

~

_Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own  
I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

The still quiet that blanketed his apartment each time he went home alone after seeing Kurapika made the air thick and heavy, almost too difficult to breathe. He could lie to himself and say he appreciated the ‘peace’ that came with the silence, but what was the point?

_°°°°°°°°°°°_

_Don't you know too much already?  
I'll only hurt you if you let me_

Kurapika groaned as his back slammed against the bite of the cold marble counter that lined the length of whatever upscale hotel bathroom that he and Leorio were gracing with their presence. His breath hitched sharply as Leorio lifted him to sit on the ledge of the counter, letting his trouser-clad legs wrap around the waist of the taller man as he felt the delicious drag of stubble against the smooth, supple skin of his neck. “What – are you – doing here?” Leorio mumbled out between searing kisses and nips to the soft expanse of skin at the base of Kurapika’s elegant throat.

Kurapika snaked his hand into Leorio’s hair, tugging it sharply and drawing a rough moan from the brunet, kissing along his jawline to his ear and whispering, “Don’t you know too much already?” He nipped the skin right above Leorio’s tie, licking the tiny bead of blood that seeped from the centre of the red mark, before pulling back with an unfocussed gaze. He gently pushed his soulmate away as he gracefully slid himself back down to his feet, keeping his eyes averted, “I’ll be on my way now.”

~

_Call me friend but keep me closer (call me back)_

Leorio grabbed Kurapika’s hand as the Kurta headed towards the locked door, pulling him back for a last kiss. “Can we talk later? Please?” the desperate edge to Leorio’s voice grated on the nerves of Kurapika’s fragile heart as he stepped back once more, hissing as the pain returned.

~

_And I'll call you when the party's over_

Refusing to meet Leorio’s eyes, Kurapika nodded, taking a last look at his lover’s handsome features. “I’ll call you when I get home.” They both stayed silent as Kurapika opened the door. Kurapika did not have a home; the only thing with any semblance to being that was the man that he was leaving behind.

~

_Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own  
And I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

Kurapika stared out at the skyline of Swardani City, picking out the Hunter Association and the hospital where Leorio did his rotations with ease, lights twinkling against the dark shroud of night. The hotel room that served as his ‘home’ for the week was barren and cold, just as his heart felt whenever he had to face his soulmate. ‘ _The peaceful quiet is just what I need_ ,’ he thought to himself as he powered his mobile phone off; he had always been good at lying to himself.

_°°°°°°°°°°°_

_But nothin' is better sometimes  
Once we've both said our goodbyes_

Leorio frowned as Kurapika slipped out from beneath the sheets of the king-sized bed that commanded most of the space in the student doctor's lone bedroom of his high-rise apartment. “I thought you were staying the night?” the brunet whispered into the quiet noise of the dark room, sitting up as the sheets pooled around his hips. Kurapika said nothing as he began methodically dressing; as if he were merely going to work instead of leaving his soulmate once more.

Leorio growled beneath his breath, standing and tugging on a too-short dressing gown before going to block Kurapika’s path to the door. “It’s 3:00 AM. _Where are you going_?” Kurapika met Leorio’s eyes for a moment before breaking their heated eye contact, “I have to go, Leo. I’m sorry.”

Leorio gave a groan of frustration and took Kurapika’s hands in his, swiping his thumb against the ill-fated mark mirrored on his own hand. “Just stay the night. Please, Pika. I need you. I love you.” Kurapika looked to his feet sadly as he stepped back, dislodging their intertwined fingers. “I can’t, Leorio.”

As he stared at the back of that beautiful golden head walking out of his door yet again, Leorio couldn’t help himself as he snapped, “Sometimes I think that nothing would be better than doing this over and over again.” The last thing he saw before the door clicked shut in his face was the sorrowful scarlet of Kurapika’s irises, glistening with unshed tears.

~

_Let's just let it go  
Let me let you go_

The rhythmic _click-clacking_ of his fingers against the keypad of his phone did little to soothe the burning pain that engulfed Kurapika’s chest and radiated outwards in all directions to claw at his throat and stomach. He read the message one last time before pressing **send** , turning his phone off once more before losing himself in gazing at the city zipping past outside the moving cab.

_°°°°°°°°°°°_

_Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own  
I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

Leorio slumped on his sofa, reaching for the glass of whisky balanced precariously on its arm as he witnessed Swardani City welcome the dusk for what seemed like the millionth time. The silence of his apartment had permeated every facet of the once-bright flat, making it seem drab and dreary; void of life and love.

He _should_ have been thankful for the quiet every evening after a long day’s work of life on the wards, but all he could think of was the soft, lilting voice of his love that was missing; that had been missing for more than 5 months. He fished his phone out once more, eyes drawn to his chat with Kurapika out of habit, sighing quietly to himself as he skimmed his countless messages all left unread.

He set his glass and phone down on the coffee table across from him as the keyless door _beeped_ with its tell-tale chime of the alarm being disarmed. Leorio warily drew himself to his feet, mentally preparing to face-off with whatever potential attacker who had successfully hacked his security system.

He knew that neither Gon nor Killua, the only other individuals who had the passcode, aside from himself and Kurapika, would have shown up unannounced, yet the high probability of a threat did little to jolt Leorio into action. He stood in silent stoicism, awaiting the drama of a fight, when the door swung open slowly, revealing his soulmate behind its steel slab.

“ _Kurapika_!?” he gasped incredulously, catching his stumbling lover and sighing in relief as the last 5 months of pain dissipated into nothing as they wrapped their arms around each other. “ _Leo_ – _rio_ ,” Kurapika moaned as he pulled Leorio’s head down to meet his, crashing their lips together in a desperate kiss. Leorio sighed against his beloved’s lips, lifting him up and pecking him repeatedly as the Kurta wrapped his legs around his waist, clinging to him like a koala bear.

Kurapika broke their kiss and tenderly brought a hand up to cradle Leorio’s stubble-ridden jaw, eyes shining in hues of scarlet, ruby, crimson and carmine, their beauty amplified by the tears of emotion that glistened within them. “I’m here, Leo. _I’m here_ ,” Kurapika whispered, thumb swiping Leorio’s cheek to wipe the stray tears escaping from his soulmate’s eyes. “I’m ready. Claim me. Bite me. Make me yours forever. _I’m ready to come home_.”

With a satisfied groan, Leorio sank his teeth into the mating gland at the juncture of Kurapika’s neck and shoulder, shuddering as the pleasure of relief rushed through his bloodstream and nervous system simultaneously. He tilted his head for Kurapika to return the mating bite, collapsing on the sofa with his soulmate clutched close as the overwhelming, blissful finality of _coming home_ washed over them both.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> ||
> 
> In case you were interested, this was how I envisioned the interaction to go, over time:
> 
> (Kurapika)  
> Don't you know I'm no good for you?  
> I've learned to lose you, can't afford to
> 
> (Leorio)  
> Tore my shirt to stop you bleedin'  
> But nothin' ever stops you leavin'
> 
> Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own  
> I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that
> 
> (Kurapika)  
> Don't you know too much already?  
> I'll only hurt you if you let me
> 
> (Leorio)  
> Call me friend but keep me closer (call me back)
> 
> (Kurapika)  
> And I'll call you when the party's over
> 
> Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own  
> And I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that
> 
> (Leorio)  
> But nothin' is better sometimes  
> Once we've both said our goodbyes
> 
> (Kurapika)  
> Let's just let it go  
> Let me let you go
> 
> (Leorio and Kurapika)  
> Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own  
> I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that
> 
> ||
> 
> Please find me on Instagram and Tumblr: @egelskaseriunahxh  
> I'd love to be friends/mutuals!
> 
> \- M. A.


End file.
